Features » August 27, 2012

Whose Election Is This Anyway?

Without Occupy, without women, without the young, no progress would have been made. And it is these forces that the Right is working to defeat.

Something strange is occurring in America. While right-wing Republicans—oligarchs and dirt-poor fundamentalists alike—are marshalling money and troops for the coming presidential elections, progressives seem stuck in some kind of existential dilemma. Not only does the latest Washington Post poll show Republican enthusiasm for the election outpacing Democratic, at a recent dinner of long-time progressive women activists, I heard it argued that the re-election of Obama really wasn’t that important and perhaps it would be better if Romney won—so that a target of Republican ire would be removed from debate about the real issues. On Sunday, as usual, I listened on NPR to the tirades of Tavis Smiley and Cornel West, who spend more time fulminating about what Obama hasn’t done than focusing on an intransigent and reactionary Republican congressional bloc. And when fundraising among folks who contributed time and money in the last election, I am too often met with, “I think I’ll sit this one out.”

These facts and comments are disturbing both because they portend poor outcomes for Obama and because they indicate a fundamental misunderstanding of what this election is about.

While on the surface the election—like all elections—is a contest between Romney and Obama, in fact this election, as in 2008, is not about “them” but about us—what we fought for, what we’ve gained and what we stand to win or lose.

Obama ascended to the presidency on the aspirations, energy and efforts of millions of women, minorities, peace advocates and labor activists, who saw in an Obama victory the hope for a completion of the unrealized promise of America. Coming from the anti-war movement, environmental action groups, students, unions, churches, synagogues, mosques and our homes, we coalesced around the Obama presidential effort and built one of the most extraordinary grassroots electoral campaigns in U.S. history.

And it is this movement, its agenda—as well as the man—that the Right has worked to impede and disempower from the very first moment.

While the Right’s pundits distract the nation by bashing Obama and belittling every one of his accomplishments, their financers and strategists have worked feverishly—both in Congress and, as importantly, in the states—to thwart the agenda and the movement.

In 2011 alone, more than 1,100 bills related to reproductive rights were introduced in state legislatures, and 92 laws restricting abortion access were passed in 24 states. Eighteen states enacted legislation restricting the right of workers to unionize. Working people are now not only faced with off-shoring but also with “off-stating”: corporations moving jobs to states with more “business-friendly” policies.

And most tellingly, under the subterfuge of “preventing voter fraud,” this year alone 38 states have introduced legislation to restrict voting rights and 14 states have passed such laws—all aimed at minorities, seniors and the young.
Progressives, on the other hand, have waited on the sidelines (with the exception of the battle of Wisconsin), mostly watching to see what the president did and how he fared—as if the issues, struggles and victories were not ours.

Although our reticence is certainly the result of many things—high unemployment, the disconnection of the Administration with the grass roots movement that brought Obama to the White House—I believe that the sense of disengagement and disappointment is an indication of the success that Karl Rove and other Republican strategists have had in infecting our thinking.

Each day the Right’s pundits, from Ann Coulter to Rush Limbaugh to the entire Fox News lineup, spend countless hours not only pooh-poohing Obama but also telling the nation that we were fools to believe in “hope and change.” With an incessant drumbeat of negativity, they insist that Obama is a fraud, that nothing has changed, nor can it, nor should it ever.

And we have been lulled into complacency. When, for the first time ever, a national healthcare law was passed that provided critical benefits for young people, women and those with “pre-existing conditions,” we let the pundits lament what we didn’t get rather than celebrate what we did.

When investment in the auto industry actually worked and saved millions of jobs, we said little to laud it. When the stimulus bill yielded billions of dollars and jobs for our cities, we did little to press for its continuation.

When the Republican attempt to impose a “balanced budget” was defeated (in great part thanks to the Occupy movement), we greeted it with a yawn, although the victory was one of the clearest indications of our power and influence.

When the last troops left Iraq, we let the Right define the moment as a loss for the United States rather than the culmination of the anti-war movement’s eight-year campaign for withdrawal and the president’s making good on his commitment.

These were not only serious mistakes, but indicators of how much we have been affected by the narrative of those who would destroy both the man and the movement.

History is made by those who claim it, and we have let the Right write the history of these past four years—to our detriment and our peril. Every victory that has been won these past years is a reflection of the forces that were in play in 2008. Without Occupy, without women, without the young, no progress would have been made. And it is these forces that the Right is working—through their mantras, through the media and through state laws—to defeat.

Our dissatisfaction with the slow pace of progress plays straight into Republican hands. The message from a well-financed opposition echoes in our ears: that hope is an illusion and change is not possible.

The truth is that hope is essential. The tension between what is and what should be has always been the springboard for real change. What we do matters. The choices are ours. We need to make the right ones.

Marilyn Katz is a writer, consultant and long-time political activist. She is president of MK Communications, a partner in Democracy Partners and a founder and co-chair of the newly formed Chicago Women Take Action.

Ms. Katz, If you want to support the assassin-in-chief who has pandered to corporate interests, attacked civil liberties, and committed war crimes, by all means do so--it is your prerogative. But when you claim to call yourself a "progressive" when actively endorsing a politician who embodies these sorts of policies, then I think you are being disingenuous. I see of a lot of excuses and blaming the Republicans for what Obama has chosen to do of his own free will. I would argue that bona fide progressives do not support war criminals and they do not support assassins, nor do they act as apologists for such politicians. You say that you listen carefully to what Republicans say and what they have done, but I don't see much listening carefully to what the Democratic President has done. You seem to have an amazing ability to make excuses for, ignore, or apologize for the vile things that our Democratic President has carried out while in office. Nice try, but no cigar.

Posted by mikesoul on 2012-09-04 13:05:31

FACT CHECK ON UNKNOWNSObama cut taxes for every American worker. Signed 18 tax cuts for small businesses to help them through the Bush Recession.Wants to eliminate tax breaks for companies that send jobs overseasWants the rich not paying a lower tax rate than the middle class but instead pay the same rate as under President Clinton. Reduces the deficit.

Romney wants to have the middle class pay the price for tax cuts for the rich.Romney wants to cut taxes for multimillionaires by average of at least $250,000.Romney wants to cut taxes for corporations by nearly a third at a cost of over $1 Trillion to taxpayers over a decade.Romney wants to eliminate all taxes on companies foreign profits, giving companies more reasons to move jobs overseas An Obama administration will help the middle class that will be hurt by a Romney administrationUnder Romney the poor will get poorer the rich much richer.

Posted by clarenceswinney on 2012-09-03 09:10:04

I greatly appreciate the comments and passion of those whohave taken on my article: “What’s At Stake; Or Whose Election is this anyway?” . Many of their points on the Administration’s early-on decision to bemore unifier than advocator, inabilityto strongly frame a message – and, although no one has mentioned it, decisionto (or allowance of) demobilizing an energized base are issues I’ve writtenabout in these pages before.

That said, none of those things diminish the fundamentaltruth that we – progressives, activists, the American people and the people ofthe world – have more at stake in this election than does the President. Further the attack, while focused on thepresident, is more fundamentally aimed not at the president, but the rights andprospects of women, of labor, of youth, of African-Americans and Latinos.

We can (at some later time I hope) debate about variousexpectations of Obama when we elected him or why our popular movements witheredover the past four years. We can argueabout whether our actions or the administration’s actions could have beendifferent,

However, what we are confronted with now is a contest thatwill not only purports to change the occupants but as we absolutely know wishesto fundamentally thwart all that has been gained not simply over the past fouryears (although I would argue much has been gained) but over the past centuryof labor, civil rights and women’s struggles.

If we sit on the sideline or remain dispirited or agnosticwe will rue those decisions. While I would not cast aspersions on anycommentator, I can tell you as a woman, an organizer, an urbanist, an activist –and someone who listens very carefully to what the Republicans say and whatthey have done – I know that this election is about me and all the issues aboutwhich I care…..whether it is the future of education or the future of theearth, whether it is about workers’ rights or the specter or the enormousappetite for war espoused by the Romney/Ryan ticket.

The Obama campaign will do what it does – and I hope it doesit well. I, for my part, have jumpedinto the fray and will do everything I can in this election – because it ismine and because our future depends on it.

Posted by marilyn katz on 2012-08-31 20:03:18

Everyone seems to be missing the real point of this election, which is that it transcends any of our "special interests". Thanks to the completely incompetent mismanagement of our economy and the national debt by both Obama and Bush43 we have no choice but to vote for the candidate who offers the best chance of improving our economy (it can't be Fixed by anyone in one term) and stop the debt from spiraling out of control so we don't end up like Greece. Then we can start fighting again about our special interests and try to keep the Republicans from destroying the environment. But first we have to keep the country off the debt cliff or there will be no special interests. Keep in mind that there is no one that can or would bail us out, we fix this now or we're screwed. That's why, despite voting Democratic 90% of my life, I feel I MUST vote for Romney in 2012.

Posted by Politacenter on 2012-08-31 17:00:16

obama inherited this hell on earth

CLINTON TO BUSH TO OBAMAWho Dug the Deep Hole? Who Fumbled the ball? Numbers rounded

Clinton left Bush an 1800B Budget Bush Left Obama a 3500 Budget

Clinton left Bush a 240B Surplus as far as the eye can seeBush left Obama a 1400B Deficit as far as the eye can see

Clinton left Bush 5,700B of DebtBush left Obama 11,800B of Debt

Clinton left Bush a 237,000 net new jobs created per monthBush left Obama a 31,000 lowest number since Hoover.

Clinton left Bush 17 Million Manufacturing JobsBush left Obama 11 Million Manufacturing Jobs

Clinton left Bush a 10,800 DowBush left Obama an 8028 Dow

Clinton left Bush Peace on Earth Good Will From Most MenBush left Obama Hell on Earth Two disastrous wars. Enmity of 1500 Million Muslims

Clinton left Bush a President most highly rated of any peacetime President in Asia, Africa, Europe.Bush left Obama the most hated President in historyBush left Obama an Housing Tsunami and Financial VolcanoBush left Obama, in 2008, an 8500B Bail out commitment Yes! 8500 not just 700Bush left Obama his Takeover of Fannie/Freddie, AIG, and first bailout of ChryslerBush increased maximum loan by Fannie/Freddie from $153,000 in 2000 to $300,000 then to $729,000That is how F&F got stuck with so many toxic mortgages. Bush gift to Big Bank pals.Bush increased FDIC maximum deposit coverage from $100,000 to $250,000. Help the rich.

Posted by clarenceswinney on 2012-08-31 12:35:30

JEBBIE JEBBIEPROTECT LIL BROTHER FROM WORST IN HISTORYSurplus to 1400B Deficit5800B Debt to 11,900BWho had two awful dumb invasions of two nations who had not harmed us nor threatened usor anyone. Neither had an army or missiles. Both were destitute. In one, half could not read or write.Who alienated 1500 Million of a different faith by the invasions and killing their brethren.Who built largest embassy in world in a nation with only 15 million adults.Who destroyed our Housing IndustryWho turned Wall Street into a gambling casinoWho had worst job creation record since HooverWho created worst recession in historywho sent 1,300,000 jobs to just ChinaWho told, along with 11 staffers, 935 lies on WMD to convince us to invade an innocent nation

No Jebbie, stand up like a good man and admit mistakesAdmit your brother headed the worst administration in history and left his successor a hell on earth

Posted by clarenceswinney on 2012-08-31 12:34:06

When describing her as a Sixties ex-radical, I think the operative word here is "ex". Whatever radical impulse she might have once had, it apparently is long gone as she now acts as a cheerleader for the current representative of the corporate-imperial state. I think there is a common problem with people who wanted to mold Obama in their own image, and when the facts proved to be something quite different than how they wanted to be, they just looked the other way and continued to believe what they wanted to believe. It's a sad commentary on what passes for much of the "left" these days. If a President McCain were doing a fraction of the egregious things that Obama is doing, Marilyn Katz would be singing a different tune. Whether it is a symptom of knee-jerk partisanship or compartmentalization or a lack of independent critical judgment or whatever, it really is a problem.

Posted by mikesoul on 2012-08-31 10:18:10

I cannot believe that anyone who would claim to even remotely left wing could possibly have written the nonsense that Marilyn Katz has written here. Can you possibly be serious, Ms. Katz? You actually think that the assassin-in-chief who occupies the White House, whose corporate pandering, warmongering, expansion of the Bush-era national security apparatus and assaults on civil liberties apparently arouse no outrage in you, does these vile things because of obstructionism by the wacko right wing? You are aware, aren't you, that Obama, who took more corporate donations in 2008 than any other Presidential candidate up to that time, met with Wall Street executives after his election and told them that he was standing between them and the pitchforks, and then refused to prosecute any high level Wall Street executives for corporate crimes? You are aware that Obama is engaging in a witch hunt against whistle blowers who shine a light on Empire (including Julian Assange)? Just how many people from Goldman Sachs and other corporations have been in the Obama administration, anyway? You are aware that Obama has time and time again, of his own will and volition, pandered to corporate interests, including refusing to implement EPA smog regulations that will result in thousands of deaths, and giving a green light to his corporate friends at Shell so they can drill for oil in the fragile ecosystem of the Arctic? You are aware that Obama has carried out drone strikes that have targeted, among other things, emergency responders who came to the scene of an earlier Obama drone attack? You don't consider those war crimes, apparently.

I think it is also hilarious that you celebrate the withdrawal from Iraq as a victory for the anti-war movement, when in fact Obama didn't want to leave but was forced to follow Bush's timetable because the Iraqi government would not accept Obama's conditions for keeping the troops there. Giving Obama credit for something he didn't want to do is an amazing twist of logic.

We all know that Romney and wacko right are an enemy of progressive values, but you really need to stop being a knee-jerk Democratic Party apologist and exercise some independent critical judgement. For someone who was a "an anti-war and civil rights organizer during the Vietnam War" to give a sycophantic description of politician who is a corporate whore and warmonger says just how badly knee-jerk Democratic Party partisan tribal loyalty can blind those who ostensibly advocate for progressive values.

Posted by mikesoul on 2012-08-31 08:34:59

Don't you dare blame us, Ms. Katz. No one has "infected" my thinking. Blame the fumbling, lackluster, gutless Democratic Party for not knowing how to package a message ( (Obama SAVED the American auto Industry! Obama Averted a second great depression ! ) or push back against Republicans committed to seeing the president fail. And PLEASE, blame Obama himself, a man who ignored his base, pandered far too long to those who who despise him, who destroyed our civil liberties at a rate that George Bush never even dreamed of, and who continues to murder innocents every day with drone strikes.

Posted by Kathleen Kelly on 2012-08-29 22:11:49

The only angry personal attack is coming from YOU!!!!!! progressive thought is a drain on the freedom of man.

Posted by Fred on 2012-08-29 20:24:07

Strangely, there is no mention about candidates and parties that actively do try to advance the good parts of the progressive agenda. I think Charlie Davis is right when he wrote "I'll take the reactionary over the murderer" in his blog "false dichotomy." There is a high degree of myopia present.

Posted by Ayn R. Key on 2012-08-28 10:22:52

Katz still doesn't get it. In stark contrast to her role as a PR maven for those Sixties ex-radicals who saw the Obama campaign as their ticket to the big leagues the last time out, the vast majority of Obama's base are looking beyond the spin and examining the facts. And the facts are that Obama has failed miserably to respond to the concerns of the grassroots - from peace and economic justice to enviromental sustainability - and instead, has worked overtime to protect the interests of his corporate allies. Truth in advertising, Marilyn.

Posted by Reilly on 2012-08-28 05:02:12

Good job responding to a well reasoned debate with an angry personal attack. To think, she was worried about an "incessant drumbeat of negativity" from Conservatives. You showed her. Moron.

Posted by Brian David Burns on 2012-08-27 15:26:51

It's true, the left has been complacent. The "drubbing" in the 2010 elections showed that liberals don't support politicians for what they can accomplish. But at the same time, I think you are too focused on "what are the right-wings saying now". These achievements were solid achievements, that's a fact. The problem is that we are too concerned about what the Conservatives think of them. The left needs to understand that voting and showing force at the polls is the only way to balance the country, not to sit it out. And in that argument, I feel you are spot-on.

Posted by Henry on 2012-08-27 10:42:43

This socialist author wouldn't know what liberty or justice for all is about. Amazing how a radical organizer can become so popular in the media.